The Minnesota Vikings are the final NFL team to lose their unbeaten record after Detroit defeated them 19-15 in Week Eight. The result capped a weekend featuring several rare statistical achievements, late comebacks and two games decided in overtime.
The Lions improved to 5-2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs, who rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota had entered the divisional game with a 6-0 record.
Denver also took advantage of a Kansas City defeat to move top of the AFC West. The Broncos overturned an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Chiefs 28-24, with their defence stopping Kansas City at the goal line in the closing moments. Patrick Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but the Chiefs fell to 5-2 while Denver moved to 6-2.
Jacksonville strengthened its position in the AFC South with a 42-7 win over Indianapolis, while Pittsburgh moved top of the AFC North by beating Cleveland 26-7. The Steelers are now 6-2.
The weekend brought another setback for the Baltimore Ravens, who lost 36-10 to the Buffalo Bills. Lamar Jackson returned after missing three games with an ankle injury, but injured his right thumb on the first snap. His replacement, Tyler Huntley, was ruled out with a toe injury in the second quarter, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to finish the game at quarterback.
Baltimore has lost three consecutive games and sits at 4-4. Jackson is set to undergo surgery and could miss the rest of the season, while Huntley may also be unavailable for several weeks.
Joe Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 43-36 overtime victory over Tennessee despite throwing three interceptions. He finished with more than 450 passing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, becoming only the second player in NFL history to produce that combination in one game.
Burrow also became the first quarterback to record a completion rate of at least 70% with touchdown passes in three successive games. Cincinnati has now won again after a mixed start to the season and will face Pittsburgh in two weeks.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers produced one of the weekend’s most unusual results by beating Atlanta 16-0 without completing a pass. Baker Mayfield attempted only three passes and completed none as Tampa Bay relied on its rushing attack in heavy rain.
Bucky Irving rushed for 170 yards and Kenneth Gainwell added 140, helping the Buccaneers set a team record with 324 rushing yards. They became the first NFL team since 1974 to win a game without a completed pass, and only the second team to do so in the Super Bowl era.
Arizona overcame Dallas 33-30 in overtime after backup quarterback Gardner Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett late in the third quarter, with the Cardinals trailing 17-3. Minshew threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, the first quarterback to do so this season, to bring Arizona level.
Chad Ryland missed the extra point that could have won the game in regulation, but later kicked the overtime field goal that secured the victory. Tyler Allgeier led Arizona’s rushing effort with 147 yards. The Cowboys dropped to 3-5, having lost only for the second time after leading by 10 points inside the final three minutes. Team owner Jerry Jones said the defeat was “an indictment of the whole show”.
Sources: BBC Sport.